We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Raymont Youngblood. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Raymont below.

Raymont, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I’ve been an artist since I was 4 years old, drawing Sonic the Hedgehog, smiling from ear to ear, watching my mother hang the artwork on the fridge. It was at that point, I decided: I will become a cartoonist one day. This was an easy thing to declare at 4, but, through age, I’ve learned that life has a funny way of testing your resolve.
Though I’ve never lost sight of that dream, and I always kept drawing, I will say that I allowed that dream to be deferred a bit longer than expected…before long, my lifelong dream was little more than a hobby that I just so happened to never lose passion for.
Who could blame me, after all, as an adult, I had bills to pay. That’s what I told myself, anyways, besides, what kid actually follows their first dream anyhow, right?
Right?
Fast foward to 2021. We’re in the middle of figuring out life during the pandemic. Though I wouldn’t classify this as a “fortunate” time, due to the many challenges the pandemic brought, I can say that, because of the pandemic, my dreams had an opportunity to bloom, so long as I was willing to take the risk to see what I could do when life provides insurmountable challenges.
I was working a job that paid the bills, but I wasn’t passionate about, doing work, just because I was good at it. Admittedly, I was freelancing on the side, and taking a few clients, but nothing major.
One day, however I got struck with the virus, and my job wanted me to keep working. I found myself answering calls on the way to the hospital, and responding to emails in the ER. I actually said to myself, out loud: “If the world is going to end, anyway, I at least deserve to take a chance on my dreams!”
So, I did. I put in my proper notice, and I kid you not, my last day was a Friday, and I ended up getting my first comic gig on that Monday. I didn’t put out feelers, I didn’t put out ads, I just trusted that this was my path, and it’s worked out beautifully for me.
Since I took this risk, and trusted in my craft, I’ve worked with celebrities and influencers, travelled around the country selling my artwork at many anime conventions,
Taking a risk gave me the courage to become the person my 4 year old self always saw me as, giving me the chance to turn my dreams into reality.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is RaiZArts, pronounced “Ray’s Arts”, and I’m a Digital Freelance Illustrator. I’ve been drawing most of my life, but in 2021, I decided to become a full time illustrator. On top of art commissions and logo work, I also have been commissioned to do comic projects as well. I also have my own comic, “Twilight Angel”, a story about two brothers uncovering the mysteries behind their father’s death at the hands of an angel, by travelling to a world of angels and demons for answers. I’m currently working on volume two! You can find me at anime conventions such as, Animate Columbus AnimeNYC, BlerDCon, Dreamcon, Otakon and more throughout the year, selling prints of my artwork, stickers and of course, my comic!
When I’m not working on projects for clients, I contract with schools and organizations in my city, teaching students how to make their own comic projects, and how to use the drawing program, “Clip Studio Paint” to get the job done.
Recently, I’ve received a grant from The Pittsburgh Foundation, the “Advancing Black Arts” Grant, and I’m utilizing it to help my students create their own anthology series to sell at local conventions. This is important, not only for the drawing aspect of things, but also, to teach students the ins and outs of what it takes to be a vendor in the artist space.

With my clients, I turn ideas into reality. I work with them to take concepts and make them into images and logos that can be used in the real world, turning them into products, merch, comics, album covers, books and more! I work alongside them to help weed out a ton of ideas and streamline them in a concise manner, so that their ideas are conveyed to their individual audiences.
Although I work with a vast magnitude of clients, I can honestly say that no two clients are alike. Being able to be flexible and open to new challenges through my work truly sets me apart from other artists in my lane.
I draw on a tablet (I do not use artificial intelligence), so one of the greatest sources of pride for me is seeing my work printed in the real world. I also love seeing my logos “in the wild” and hearing the response to bringing my client’s visions to life!

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

If I’m being honest, my entire journey is one of resilience.
When I was 11, my mother passed away due to illness. She was my number one supporter, and always encouraged my craft. She bought my first portfolio. She bragged about my talents, and always told me that I could do anything.
She was my rock, and losing her was one of the most challenging things I had to endure in my life.
I’m thankful for her, because she taught me so much, even though I was so young. Even though I can list many things that she instilled in me, the main things that she fostered in me was, the resolve to go for the things I want and the courage to believe in myself, even if I’m the only one who sees the path forward.
Those two skills alone have brought forth more success in my life than I can explain in this interview.

I’ve endured plenty of hardships in my life. In addition to my mother passing, I also lost my older brother to gun violence, and even this year, I’ve tragically lost my younger cousin.
I’m a runaway who is a survivor of childhood physical and emotional abuse from my guardian.
If I’m being honest, I’ve had plenty of chances to simply give up on myself–give up on my dream.
I’ve seen people give up on their dreams and goals for a lot less.

However, they didn’t have the support that I’ve had. My mother poured everything she could in developing me into the best person I could be. I ran away, and stumbled so many times. I’ve taken more hits, both physically and metaphorically than I should have, and yet, I’ve perservered.

Instead of licking my wounds and beating myself up, I instead decided to tear up the blueprints life had planned for me, and build my own blueprint on life.
I’ve built my own family, of those who I’m biologically related to, and those I’ve met along my journey.
My village, my support system is truly a marvel of beauty. A miracle granted to me by believing in my own reslolve, my own resilience.
I’ve built my own career, resolving to not only carve out a path for myself, but for future artists to follow as well, if they so choose.
I’ve become the manifestation of my own dreams, and I’m not done yet!

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My main goal for my art is to get the world to know of my comic, “Twilight Angel”. When my mother died, I truly felt alone and misunderstood. I’ve loved anime my entire life, but when “Fullmetal Alchemist” came out in 2003, I finally felt like there was a series that understood my pain, and helped me heal on my journey. Its no understatement to say that FMA saved my life. If I can save even one person with my story of brothers traversing their own trauma, I will consider my life’s work a success.
Just like everything else I’ve accomplished on my journey, this is something that I will see through, no matter what. Please continue to watch me as I keep building this dream as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.raizarts.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raizarts_
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raizarts.official/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raizarts
• Twitter: https://x.com/RaizArts